Flight apparatus



Feb. 18, 1936. J. E. L. HALL FLIGHT APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1932 5Sheets-Sheet 1 17106771521 ames :EifH abb,

Feb 118, 1935. J, E, HALL 2,@3H,31@

FLIGHT APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lOJ Feb. m 1936.J E, L HA L, mamw FLIGHT APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5.liY/UGW JFRmvaS .5. L. Haxlb Patented Feb. 18, 1936 I !TE 2!: STATESFLIGHT APPARATUS James E. L. Hall, Chicago, Ill., assignor to CecilMartin, Chicago, 111.

Application April 16, 1932, Serial No. 605,609

17 Claims.

The object of this invention, generally stated, is to produce anapparatus utilizing aircraft for instruction and amusement. Morespecifically,

the aim is to provide apparatus whereby an inexperienced person mayoperate an airplane with safety and cause it to take off, land, bankright or left, level off, execute half-turns, side-slip, zoom, glidean-d power-dive. Other objects and advantages will appear from thefollowing detailed description of one of numerous possible embodimentsof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a fragmental elevation of theapparatus.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental detail of a guide for the pivoted arm 8. V

Fig. 3 illustrates, in side elevation, a means for adjusting theapparatus to compensate for differences in the weights of the occupants.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of thedevice shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view of the apparatus.

Fig. 6 illustrates a truck for supporting one of the booms.

Fig. 7 illustrates the pivotal support for-the booms.

Fig. 8 is a view of one of the links by means of 30 which each airplaneis connected to the revolving structure through which the operatorexercises general control of the airplanes.

Fig. 9 is a section online 99 of Fig. 7.

Fig. '10 is a fragmental perspective View of the apparatus.

The embodiment herein shown of the invention comprises a mooringstructure including a plurality of booms I each boom being constructedof two spaced bars I rigidly connected together. The booms I radiatefrom a common center and are arranged to revolve upon avertical axis.These booms may be supported for such rotation by any preferred means.Herein I have shown a tower or central framework 2 carrying twoconcentric rails 3 (Fig. 6) upon which trucks 4 are arranged to travel.These trucks support the booms I for rotation in a horizontal plane. Theinner ends of the booms are rigidly secured to a central member 5 whichis supported upon 50 an antifriction bearing 6 for rotation upon a fixedvertical shaft I. Said shaft is carried by the tower 2.

An arm 8 is pivoted to the outer end of each boom I for tilting movementin a vertical plane. The outer end of each arm supports an occupantcarrier, herein shown as an airplane 9 of any preferred type, and to theinner end of each arm is attached a counterweight ID for partiallycounterbalancing the airplane and its pilot. The counterweight may beadjustably connected to the arm in any preferred manner. 5

In order to adjust the counterbalance for variations in the weights ofpilots, I provide means for adjusting the arms 8 toward and away fromthe axis I. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the arm 8 carries racks I I thatmesh with a pinion I2. The 10 pinion I2 is fixed upon a shaft I 3 whichis mounted in bearings I 4 on the boom I. Guide rollers I5 overlie thearm 8, these rollers being carried by brackets I6 which are pivoted onthe shaft I3. Any preferred means may be used to drive the pinion I2 toadjust the arm.8 toward and away from the axis I. Herein I have shown areversible electric motor I1 attached to the boom I and geared to ashaft I8 that is mounted in bearings I 9 on the boom and the motorhousing. On the shaft I8 is a worm that meshes with a worm wheel 2| onthe pinion shaft I3. It will be seen that rotation of the pinion willcause longitudinal adjustment of the arm 8, and that the arm is free totilt on the axis of the pinion I2.

In order to maintain the arm 8 in the vertical plane of the boom towhich it is attached, there is provided suitable means, such as a guiderigidly secured to the boom and serving to prevent lateral displacementof the inner end of the arm with respect to the boom. As herein shown,said guide consists of two parallel vertical bars 22 forming betweenthem a guideway for the inner end of the arm, the ends of said guidewaybeing closed to limit vertical swinging movement of the arm. To cushionshockas the arm reaches the limits of such swinging movement I provideresilient means such as spring-supported. buffers 23 (Figs. 1 and 2).

Motion may be communicated to the airplanes 9 in various ways. Forexample, the booms I may be caused to revolve by means of an electricmotor 24 (Fig. 6) mounted upon one of the trucks 4 and connected to oneof the axles of said truck 45 .to drive the latter and thus cause thetruck to travel upon the rails 3. An alternative method of impartingmovement to the airplanes consists of equipping each airplane with anelectric motor 25 (Fig. 5) for driving the propeller 2B of the airplane;The last-mentioned method is the one I prefer, but either or both formsof drive may be used.

Electric current may be supplied to the armadjusting motors II,the-boom-revolving motor 55 24 and the airplane motors 25 in anyconventional or desired manner.

Whether or not the airplanes are provided with individual motors, it ispreferred that each airplane be provided with the usual means fordirecting its course, such as ailerons 26, a rudder 21 and elevators 28arranged to be operated by the ordinary control sticks 29. Preferably,the supply of current to the individual airplane motors 25 is controlledby the operator in charge of the apparatus, so that if any pilot putshis airplane through excessive evolutions his motor may be slowed downor stopped, and so that the entire apparatus may be brought to rest uponthe expiration of the time for which the riders have paid. Each airplaneis provided with landing gear 30A.

' Each airplane is connected to its arm 8 in such a manner as to permitthe pilot a large measure of freedom in guiding his craft. In theconstruction herein shown, the airplane is suspended from the arm 8 bymeans of four struts 30, 3| connected to the airplane at four separatepoints. The struts are connected to the arm and to the airplane throughthe medium of universal joints and 32. Preferably, each strut isyieldably variable in length so that it may contract and lengthen topermit the airplane to tilt to a limited extent in any direction withrelation to the arm 8. In the construction herein shown, each strutconsists of a tubular section 33 connected to the arm 8, and a rod 34extending through the lower end or head of the section 33. On the upperend of the rod 34 is a head 35 the movement of which in either directionis yieldingly resisted by springs 36 enclosed in the tubular section 33.

The strut 3| which is connected to the wing that extends toward the axisof rotation is connected to the arm 8 at a point located inwardly of thepoints at which the remaining struts are attached, in order tocounteract the tendency of the airplane to swing outwardly undercentrifugal force.

The operation is as follows: When the apparatus is idle, the airplanesrest upon the ground, as indicated in dotted lines at the left-hand sideof Fig. 1. After the pilots have seated themselves in the cockpits ofthe airplanes, the operator in charge of the apparatus supplies currentto the motors 25, whereupon the airplanes are caused to travel in acircular path. As the speed of the planes increases, they leave theground, whereupon the pilots may bank right or left, make half-turns,side-slip, glide, zoom, powerdive or level oif into general flightposition. As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the planes may fly inan undulating course above and below the horizontal plane of th booms I.

When the operator so desires, he reduces or cuts off the supply ofcurrent to the motors 25, whereupon the planes land and come to rest.

It will be seen that the apparatus herein disclosed enables personssafely to acquire practice in controlling an airplane and affordsthrills and amusement to the occupants of the airplanes and to thespectators.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of a rotatory structure, positioned in a horizontalplane for rotation upon a central axis, an arm pivoted between its ends"to the peripheral portion of said structure, an 00'- cupant carrierconnected to the outer end of structure engaging the inner end of saidarm to prevent lateral displacement of said arm with respect to saidstructure, said arm being pivoted to swing to carry the outer endthereof above the horizontal plane of said structure whereby to permitthe occupant carrier to rise higher than it could under centrifugalforce due to the rotation of said structure.

2. The combination of a rotatory structure, an arm pivoted between itsends to the outer portion of said structure, an occupant carrierconnected to the outer end of said arm, means on said structure engagingthe inner end of said arm to prevent lateral displacement of said armwith respect to said structure, said arm being pivoted to swing to carrythe outer end thereof above the horizontal plane of said structure,whereby to permit the occupant carrier to rise higher than it couldunder centrifugal force due to the rotation of said structure, and meansfor adjusting said arm to shift the fulcrum point thereof longitudinallyof the arm.

3. The combination of a rotatory structure, an arm pivoted between itsends to the outer portion of said structure, an occupant carrierconnected to the outer end of said arm, a partial counterweightconnected to the inner end of said arm, and means for adjusting said'armto shift the fulcrum point thereof longitudinally of the arm whereby tovary the relative leverages of the occupant carrier and thecounterweight.

4. The combination of a rotatory structure, a plurality of struts,universal joints connecting the upper ends of said struts to the outerportion of said structure, an occupant carrier, and universal jointsconnecting the lower ends of said struts to said occupant carrier, s'aidstruts having yieldably connected rigid sections whereby the struts areyieldably extensible and contractible, said carrier being in the form ofan airplane having power operated means for driving the plane throughthe air and occupant manipulatable flight controlling means includingailerons, ele vators and a rudder for controlling the flight of theplane under its own power about the axis of rotation of the rotatorystructure and to the extent limited by the strut connection of the plane-to the rotatory structure.

5. The combination of a. rotatory structure, a plurality of struts,universal joints connecting the upper ends of said struts to the outerportion of said structure, an airplane having a motordriven propellerfor driving said airplane, and universal joints connecting the lowerends of said struts to said airplane, said struts having yieldablyconnected rigid sections whereby the struts are yieldably extensible andcontractible, said carrier being in the form of an airplane having poweroperated means for driving the plane through the air and occupantmanipulatable flight controlling means including ailerons, elevators anda rudder for controlling the flight of the plane under its own powerabout the axis of rotation of the rotatory structure and to the extentlimited by the strut connection of the plane Y to the rotatorystructure.

6. The combination of an airplane having landing gear and carrying powermeans to drive the airplane through the air, a rotary structure, an armpivoted between its ends to said structure in outward spaced relation tothe axis of rotation of said structure and extending in a plane radialto said structure, the outer end of said arm being normally beyond theperipheral edge of said structure and connected to said airplane forapproximately universal movement relative to said arm, the inner end ofsaid arm being weighted to counterbalance partially the weight of theairplane, but not sufliciently to lift the airplane off the ground whenthe structure is not rotating.

7. The combination of a revoluble structure disposed for rotation abouta vertical'axis, an arm pivoted intermediate its ends upon saidstructure and terminating at its inner end short of the axis of rotationof said structure, a self propelled and occupant flight controlledairplane suspended from the outer end of the arm, counterweight meansfor the inner end of the arm whereby the outer end of the arm may swingabove and below the pivotal connection of the arm to the supportingstructure in response to the'occupant controlled movements of the plane,said suspension means providing a connection of the airplane with theouter end of the arm whereby the airplane may have approximatelyuniversal movement with relation to the arm in addition to its movementwith the arm above and below the pivotal connection of the arm with thesupporting structure and thus enable the self propelled airplane to havemovements simulating a regular airplane under control oflthe occupant.

8. The combination with a mooring structure having means rotatable onsaid structure in a horizontal plane, an arm pivoted intermediate itsends upon said rotatable means in outward radial spaced relation to theaxis of rotation of said means, said arm having its inner and outer endsfree for movement in a vertical plane, a self propelled airplanesuspended from the outer'end of said arm, said airplane being equippedwith a power driven propeller for driving it through the -air in a pathabout the axis of rotation of said rotatable means and with standardcontrols in association with the wings at the sides of the planeallowing the occupant to take 01f, land, bank right or left, ascend ordescend at will under the power of the plane, and means suspending theairplane from the outer end of the arm, said means being so constructedand arranged that universal movement within limits in response to theflight control of the plane by the occupant may be had with respect tothe arm in the movement of the arm on its pivot and the travel of theairplane under its own power in its path of rotation about thesupporting structure.

9. The combination of an airplane adapted to carry an occupant andhaving power operated means for driving the airplane through the air andflight controlling means including ailerons, elevators and a ruddermanipultable by the occupant of the plane for controlling the flight ofthe plane under its own power, a mooring structure rotatable in ahorizontal plane, and a connection between the airplane and the mooringstructure restraining the flight of the airplane under its own power andin response to the manipulation of the flight controlling means by theoccupant of the plane above and below the plane of said mooringstructure and about the axis of rotation thereof.

10. The combination of a rotatory structure, a plurality of struts,universal joints connecting the upper ends of said struts to the outerportion of said structure, an occupant carrier, and universal jointsconnecting the lower ends of said struts to said occupant carrier, saidcarrier being in the form of an airplane having power operated means fordriving the plane through the air and occupant manipulatable flightcontrolling means for controlling the flight of the plane under its ownpower about the axis of rotation of the rotary structure and to theangular extent limited by the struts and their universal jointconnection to the plane and said structure respectively, said strutshaving the capability of changing length to a limited extent in responseto the angular movement of the airplane relatively to the rotatorystructure.

11. The combination of a rotatory structure, four struts grouped about acommon axis, universal joints'connecting the upper ends of said strutsto the outer portion of said structure, an occupant carrier, anduniversal joints connecting the lower ends of said struts to saidoccupant carrier, the upper ends of said struts being relatively closetogether about said axis and the lowerends being relatively remote fromone another, said occupant carrier being in the form of an airplanehaving power operated means for driving the plane through the air andoccupant manipulatable flight controlling means for controlling theflight of the plane under its own power about the axis of rotation ofthe rotatory structure and to the extent limited by the strut connectionof the plane to said structure, said struts being constructed to changein length to a limited extent in response to the movement of the planerelatively to said structure.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of amain support, a revoluble central structure disposed for rotation on themain support about a vertical axis, an air craft device in the form ofan airplane disposed exterior of the main support and having a poweroperated propellor for driving the airplane through the air and flightcontrolling means operable by the occupant of the airplane forcontrolling the flight thereof under its own power, and means connectingsaid airplane to the outer peripheral portion of the revolublestructure, said -means carrying the airplane for flight under thecontrol of the occupant thereof about the axis of rotation of saidrevoluble structure and above and below the connection of the plane tosaid revoluble structure.

13. The combination of a revoluble central structure disposed forrotation in a horizontal plane, an arm pivoted intermediate its endsupon the central structure, said arm extending radially of the centralstructure and having its inner end terminating short of the axis ofrotation of said central structure, and its outer end beyond theperiphery of said central structure, a self-propelled and occupantflight controlled airplane adjacent the outer end of said arm, a hangersuspending the airplane from the outer end of the arm, said hangercomprising means extending between the outer end of the arm and theairplane and having a universal joint connection with the arm andairplane, respectively, whereby to limit the angular movement of theairplane with respect to the arm below the same in response to theoccupant flight controlled movement of the airplane, and acounter-weight carried by the inner end of the arm, whereby the outerend of the arm may swing to carry the airplane above and below thepivotal connection of the arm to the central structure.

14. The combination of a revoluble central structure disposed forrotation in a horizontal plane, an arm pivoted intermediate its endsupon the central structure in outward spaced relation to the axis ofrotation thereof, said arm having its inner and outer end portions insubstantial alignment and disposed with its inner end portionterminating short of the axis of'rotation of the central structure andits outer end portion extending outwardly beyond said central structure,a self-propelled and occupant flight controlled airplane suspended fromthe outer end portion of the arm exteriorly of the central structure anda counter-weight for said airplane cooperable with the inner end portionof the arm whereby the outer end of the arm may swing above and belowthe pivotal connection of the arm to the central structure and carry theairplane therewith in response to the occupant flight controlledmovements of the plane.

15. The combination of a revoluble central structure disposed forrotation about a vertical axis, an arm pivoted upon the outer peripheralportion of the central structure on a horizontal axis for swingingmovement in a vertical plane, said am having its inner and outer endportions in substantial alignment and disposed with its inner endportion terminating short of the axis of rotation of the centralstructure and its outer end portion normally extending outwardly beyondthe peripheral portion of said central structure, a self-propelled andoccupant flight controlled airplane suspended from the outer end of thearm exteriorly of the central structure, and a counter-weight for theairplane cooperable with the arm whereby the outer end of the arm mayswing above and below the pivotal connection of the arm to the centralstructure and carry the airplane therewith in response to the occupantflight controlled movements of the plane.

16. The combination of a revoluble central structure disposed forrotation about a vertical axis, arms pivoted upon the central structurein outward spaced relation to the axis of rotation thereof and disposedin circumferentially spaced relation about the same, said arms beingpivoted on the central structure for swinging movement in verticalplanes and having their inner end portions terminating short of the axisof rotation of the central structure whereby the arms may moveindependently of each other and having their outer end portionsextending radially beyond the central structure to provide relativelylarge clearance spaces for the airplanes at the outer ends of the arms,self-propelled and occupant flight controlled airplanes suspended, onefrom the outer end of each arm exteriorly of the central structure, andcounter-weights for the airplanes cooperable with the arms whereby theouter ends of the arms may swing above and below the pivotal connectionof the arms with the central structure and carry the airplanes therewithin response to the occupant flight controlled movements of therespective planes, the central structure being revolved by the combinedpull of the self-propelling devices of the airplanes suspended over theouter ends of the arms.

1'7. The combination of a revoluble central structure disposed forrotation about a vertical axis, arms pivoted intermediate their endsupon the central structure in outwardly spaced relation to the axis ofrotation thereof and disposed in circumferentially spaced relation aboutthe same, said arms being pivoted on the central structure for swingingmovement in vertical planes and having their inner and outer endportions in substantial longitudinal alignment and disposed with theirinner end portions terminating short of the axis of rotation of thecentral structure and their outer end portions extending outwardlybeyond the central structure, self-propelled and occupant flightcontrolled airplanes suspended, one from the outer end of each armexteriorly of the central structure, and counterweight for theairplanes, cooperable with the inner ends of the arms whereby the outerends of the arms may swing above and below the pivotal connection of thearms with central structure and carry the airplanes therewith inresponse to the occupant flight controlled movements of the respectiveplanes.

JAMES E. L. HALL.

